What to get the person who has all the pieces, together with his personal Boeing 747 and a set of nuclear launch codes?
The conundrum of the diplomatic reward has preoccupied foreign leaders and their envoys in Washington for many years, by no means extra so than when Donald Trump is in workplace.
Prone to flattery and enamored by gold, Trump has impressed gifts each outlandish and private, touching and — in no less than one case — barely macabre.
Across Asia this week, Trump received presents that had been fastidiously chosen by new leaders desperate to solidify their relationships with their strongest, and infrequently somewhat temperamental, ally.
Their selections mirrored the deliberate calculations leaders make as they work to reveal respect and create a shock whereas additionally exhibiting they perceive the recipient — who may be extremely attuned to how he’s handled.
The hope is that their efforts will encourage a level of goodwill which may translate, ultimately, into favorable commerce offers or new pledges of safety cooperation. At a minimal, it makes for an excellent photo-op.
Ethics legal guidelines imply the gifts are literally the property of the American public, and are normally handed over to the General Services Administration, although a president should purchase them again at market worth. Democrats accused Trump of failing to correctly account for some gifts received throughout his first time period.
Wherever they find yourself, the gifts Trump has received throughout his second time period replicate how keen his counterparts are to go away an excellent impression. Here are among the highlights.